^nicUSE  BiLt.} 

HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTAl:^fVE^'  D^c.  2S.  ISOS.—Read  first 
and  necoiul  times  iind  referred  to  the  ComMiirtee  an  the  Quarterraiister 
an  iCoininissury  Department-*.  Jan  IS,  1834. — Reported  back,  place  •- 
on  the  Calendar,  and  ordered  to  be  printe  I. 

[By  Mr.  Garland. 1 


A.  BILL 

To  be  entitled  An  Act  to  suppress  abuses  in  the  Quartermaster  and 
Commissary  Departments  of  the  army. 
i     iSection  1.   The  Congress  of  tJie  Confederate  Slates  of  Anvrica  do 

2  enady  That  the  President,  by  and  with  the  advice  and  consent  of 

3  the  Senate,  shall  appoint,  for  each  military  department,  one  com- 

4  peteni   person,  to  be  styled  inspector  of  such  department,  who 

0  shall  be  commissioned,  and  have  the  rank,  pay  and  allow^ances  of 

6  colonel  of  cavalry;  and  two  assistants,  who  shall  also  be  com- 

7  missioned,  and  have  the  rank,  pay  and  allowances  of  captains  oi.' 

8  cavalry,  and  be  styled  assistant  inspectors  of  such  d.»partment. 

9  Such  inspectors  of  department  shall  be  allowed  two  clerks,  and 

10  such  assistant  inspectors  shall  be  allowed  one  clerk  each,  which 

1 1  clerks,  for  their  services,  shall  be  allowed  the  sum  of 

12  dollars  per  month,  and  rations,  each. 

1  Sec.  2.  Each  of  said  inspectors  and  assistant  inspectors  shall, 

2  before  entering  upon  the  discharge  of  their  duties,  take  and  sub- 


3  scribe  the  following  oath  :  **  I,  ,  having 

4  been  duly  appointed  and  commissioned  inspector  (or  assistant  in- 
3  spcctor,  as  the  case  raij  hi,)  of  (such)  department  of  the  army 

6  of  the  Conf.deratc  States  of  America,  do  solemnly  swear  that  I 

7  will,  in  all  things,  according  to  my  best  ability  and  understand- 

8  ing,  faithfully  and  impartially  discharge  the  duties  of  my  said 

9  office,  as  required  by  law,  without  fear,  favor,  affection  or   111- 

10  will;  so  help  me  God."     Which  oath  may  be  taken  before  any 

11  judicial  officer  having  authority  to  administer  oaths,  and  shall  be 

12  cndorsed«-upon  his  commission,  and  a  duplicate  thereof  filed  in 

13  the  office  of  the  Secretary  of  War. 

1  Sec.  3.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  each  inspector  of  department, 

2  with  the  aid  and  assistance  of  their  assistants,  from  time  to  time, 

3  and  at  least  as  often  as  once  in  every  fiscal  quarter,  carefully  and 

4  thoroughly  to  examine  and  inspect   the  official  affiirs  of  every 

5  quartermaster  and  commis&ary  within  his  department,  as  well 
C  those  serving  at  posts  and  departments   as  those  serving  with 

7  any  army,  army  corps,  division,  brigade,  regiment,  battalion  or 

8  detachment  of  troops,  in  the  field.     In  such  inspections,  said  in- 

9  specters  and    their   assistants,    shall   ascertain    the   amount   of 
lU  money  and  property  received    by  each  such  quartermaster  and 

1 1  c  nimissary,  for  or  on  the  account   of  the  Government,  when, 

12  where,  and  from  whom  received;  if  money,  the  kind  of  funds  re- 

13  ceived ;  if  property  found,  not  in  the  possession  of  any  person, 


14  when,  where,    and  under  what  circumstances  found,  and  when 

15  entered  upon  their  rolls;  amount  of  money  expended.  f>r  what 

16  expended,  when  expended,  to   whom  paid,  and  the  amount  re- 

17  maining  on  hand,  carefully  examining  every  voucher,  and  where 

18  any  dovbt  arises,  requiring  additional  proof  in  relation  thereto, 
10  noting  all  di'focts  and  deficiencies.     They  shall,  in  person,  care- 

20  fully  cxa,mrae  and  inspect  the  property  and  all  accounts  of  everV 

21  such  quartermaster  and  commissary,  noting   the  number,  kind, 

22  and  character  of  property,  and   the  condition   thereof,  and   also 

23  examine  every  invoice,  receipt,  roll,  bill  or  other  voucher,  in  rc- 

24  lation  to  such  property,  and  if  alleged  by  any  such  quartermas- 

25  ter  or  commits iry,  to  have  been  by  him  purchissJ,  noting 
20  the  price  of  each  article,  when,  where,  and  of  whom  purchased; 
27  and  as  to  property  turned  over  by  other  officers,  when,  where, 
38  and  by  whom  turned  over,  comparing  the  articles  with  the  in- 
2D  voices  ;  and  as  to  property  found  and  taken  up  upon  roll,  ccm- 
30  paring  such  property  with  such  roll,  in  every  such  case  noting 
81  any  deficit  or  discrepancy.  And  in  case  of  any  deficiency, 
33  inquire    into  the    manner  in  which    such   deficiency    occurred, 

33  examining  the  vouchers  therefor.     And  where  it  shill  be  alleged 

34  that  such   deficit  has  occurred    by  death,    by   being    worn  out, 

35  captured  by  the  enemy,  abandoned,  or  expended,  such  inspectors 
3fi  and  their  assistants  shall  have  the  right  to  demand,  and  in  case 
37  of  doubt,  shall  demand  evidence  other  than  the  statement  cr  cer- 


4 

SS  tificatc'of    any    such   quartermaster    or    commissary.       Such 

39  inspectors  and  their  assistants  shall  also  carefully  examine  into 

40  the  accounts  and  vouchers  of  all  &uch  quartermasters  and  com- 

41  missaries,  rnd   into  their  manner  of  transacting  business,  and 

42  keej^ing  accounts  thereof,  and  if  they,   in   all  respects,  conform 

43  to  the  requirements  of  the  army   regulations  an^  orders  as  to 

44  their  several  departments,  noting  all  variations  from,  and  viola- 

45  tions  of,  the  same.     They  shall  also  inquire  whether  any  such 

46  quartermaster  or  commissary  has,  himself,  or  by  or  through  any 

47  clerk,  sergeant,  agent,  partner,  attachee,  employee,  or  any  other 

48  person  been  engaged,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  in  any  specu- 

49  lation  in  any  commodity  or  article  of  property  whatsoever;  and 
60  whether  any   such    quartermaster    or  commissary  has  bet  any 

51  money  or  property  upon  any  game  whatsoever.     They  shall  also 

52  ascertain  the  names  of  all  persons  in  service  with  every  such  quar- 

53  termaster  and  commissary,  the  nature  of  the  service  performed 

54  by  each,  whether  as  clerk,  sergeant,  agent,  messenger,  courier, 

55  wagon-master,  forage-mascer,  teamster,  butcher,  laborer  or  servant, 

56  and  the  company  and  regiment  to  which  each  belongs,  or  if  still  a 

57  citizen  within  the  ages  of  conscription,  and  whether  such'  per- 

58  sons  are,  or  are  not,  apparently  able-bodied  men  fit  for  service  in 

59  the    ranke^      Such    inspectors  and   their   assistants    shall   also 

60  ascertain,  within  their  respective  departments,  the  names   and 

61  locality  of  all  men  unfit  from  any  cause  for  service  in  the  ranks, 


5 

62  and  who  are   fit,  and  willing  to   take  service   in   either  of  the 

63  departments  of  quartermaster  or  commi^^sary,  and  tlu  ir  qualifi- 

64  cations  for  such,  service.      Tiiej  ^hall  also  inquire  into  the  manner 

65  in  which  the  supplies  and  issues  are  obtained,  and  made  by  such 
6Q  quartermasters  and  commissary's  ;  whether  issues  are  made  reg- 

67  ularlj,  in  suflScient  quantities,  and  of  proper  quality,  and  if  not, 

68  the  cause  or  causes  therefor. 

1  Sec.  4.  Every  quartermaster  and  commissary  shall,  upon  the 

2  demand  of  the  inspector  or  either  of  the  assistant  inspectors  of 

3  the    department    within    which   he    is    serving,    aflford   to    such 

4  inspector  or  aosistant  inspector  every  necesSary  facility,  aid  and 

5  information,  to  enable  them  to  make  the  inspections  by  this  act 

6  required;    and    shall,  exhibit   to    such    inspector   or   assistant 

7  inspector,  all  their  public  moneys,  official  books  and  papers  of 

8  every    kind    whatsoever ;    and    upon  refusal    so  to  do,  shall    be 

9  immediately    reported    to    his    commanding    officer,    who   shall 

10  without  delay,  place  him  in  arrest,  and  cause  him  to  be  tried  by 

1 1  a  court  martial  upon  cl  arge  for  disobedience  of  orders,  and  the 

12  inspector  shall  proceed  \\iih  his   inspection,  so  far   as  he  can, 

13  without  the  assistance  of  such  quartermaster  or  commissary. 

1  Sec.  5.  The  assistant  inspectors  shall  be  subject  to  the  orders 

2  and  directions  of  the  inspector  of  the  department  within  which 

3  they  serve,  and  the  Secretary  of  War  may,  at  such  times  as  he 

4  may  deem  advisable,  cause  such  inspectors  and  assistant  inspeo- 


6 

5  tors  to  alternate,  from  one  department  to  another,  in  performing 

6  the  duties  required  of  them  by  this  act.  Each  inspector  and 
T  a?;-ist:int  in=ppct;r,  in  c.hc  of  such  nlterni  ion,  shall  have  the 
8  ?ar.ic  powers  and  ii^;hts.  and  shall  perform  the  s  ime  duties  in  the 
n  department  to  which  he  f-h  ill  be  thus  sent,  as  in  the  department 

10  fur  which  he  may  lave  been  appointed. 

1  Sic.  6      Each    inspector  of  department    shall    make    full  and 

2  par:icular  deailed  reports  of  all  inspections    male   by  himself 

3  and  his  assistants,  to  the  Secretary  of  "War;  which  reports  shall 

4  be  in  duplicate,  one  to  be  forwarded  to  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
.)  the  other  to  be  delivered  to  the  commander  of  the  department 
G  within  which  such  inspection  shall  have  been  made. 

1  Sec.  7.  If  it  shall  appear  by  any  such  report,  of  any  inspector 

2  of  department,  that  any  quartermaster  or  commissary  in  such 

3  department  has  been  guilty  of  any  malfeasance  in  office,  or  shall 

4  have  been  in  any  "^^  ay,  directly   or  indirectly,  engaged   in  any 

5  speculation  in  any  commodity  or  property   whatsoever,  or  shall 

6  be  guilty  of  embezzling  any  property  or  money  of  the  Govern- 

7  ment,  or  shall  be  a  defaulter  to  the  Government  for  any  amount, 

8  or  shall  have  bet  any  money  or  property  upon  any  game,  or  shall 

9  have  been  interested  in  any  such  bet,  or  shall  bj  for  any  cause 

10  incompetent  for  the  discharge  of  his  official   duties,  or  shall  be 

1 1  addicted  to  drunkenness;  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  commander 

12  of  such  department  to  cause  any  such  quartermaster  or  commis- 


7 

13  sary  to  be  immediately   suspended  from  thi  performance  of  the 

14  duties  of  his  office,  plaoal  in  arrest,  anl  tried  by  a  court  martial 

15  upon  charges  to  be  preferred  by  any  such  inspector,  or  assistant 

16  inspector,  or  any  other  commissioned  offictr;  and  if,  upon  trial, 

17  any  such  quartermaster  or  commissary  shall  be  found  guilty  of 

18  any  embezzlement  of  any  money,  or  property  of  the  Government, 

19  or  found  to  be  j^defaulter  to  the  Government,  or  of  having  been 

20  so  engaged  in  any  speculation,  or. to  have  bet  money  or  property 

21  upon  any  g;ime,  or  been  interested  in  any  such  bet,  he  shall  be 

22  cashiered;  and  if  found  to  be  incompetent  to  discharge  tlie  duties 

23  of  his  oSEce,  by  reason  of  mental  incapacity,  ignorance,  want  of 

f 

24  business  rjualifioations,   or  intemperate  h  ibit-?,  he   shall   be  dis- 

25  missed  from  liis  oITuo,  and  in  all   such  cases  of  conviction  they 

26  shall  be  immediately  conscribe  I  and   placed   in  the   ranks  of  the 

27  infantry,  if  \v  thin  the  nges  of  conscription,  and  physically  able 

28  for  duty  i'\  th  it  arm  of  service  ;  if  not  so  able,  th"y  shall  be  put 
23  to  such  service,  a:^  a  private,  as  they  miy  be  phy>ically  able  to 
30  perform,  and  suit  sliull  be  instituted  against  their  securities  upon 
81  their  oflijial  bonis  for  any  default  whatsoever,  which  miy  be 
32  within  the  condition  of  such  bond. 

1         Sec^S.  If  it  shall   appear  by  any  such   report  of  inspection, 

3  that  there  are  able-bodied   men   in    the    employ   of   any    such 

3  quartermaster  or  commissary,  and  that  there  are  in  such  depart- 

4  ment,  disabled   men,  who  are   qualified,  and  vfilling  to  perform 


8 

5  the  duties  in  said   quartermaster  and  commissary  departments, 

6  the  department  commander  shall  cause  such  able-bodied  men,  if 

7  belonging  to  companies,  to  be  at  once  retu-'ncd  to  their  respect- 

8  ive  commands,    when  practicable,  if  not  practicable,  by  reason 

9  of  the  absence  of  such   coram  md  from  such  department,   or  if 

10  such  able-bodied   men  do   not  belong  to  any  comminl,  and  are 

11  within   the  ages  of   conscription,   ouch   department   commander 

12  shall  cause  them  to  be  placed  in  service  with  some  company  withia 

13  his  department,  and  the  places  of  all  such  able-bodied   men  shall 

1 4  be  supplied  by  such  disabled  men,  or  men  not  fit  for  service  in 

15  the  ranks,  as  iray  be  able  and  qualified  for  such  service. 

1  Sec.  9.  The  terms  quartermaster  and  commissary,  as  used  in 

2  this  act,  shall  be  held  to  include  officers  of  any  rank,  in  these 
$  several  departments  who  are  exercising  the  functions  of  each 
4  office. 

1  Sec.  10.  It  shall  not  be  necessary  for  any  of  said  inspectors, 

2  or  their  assistants,  to  give  to  any  quartermaster  or  commissary, 

3  Kuj  notice  of  any  such  inspection,   but  such   inspections  may  be 

4  made  at  such  time  as   miy  be  most  convenient  in  the  course  of 

5  the  performance    of    inspection   duties,    avoiding    unnecessary 

6  inconvenience,  to  any  such  quartermaster  or  commissary. 

1  Sec.  11.  If  any  such  inspector,  or  assistant   inspector,  after 

2  '  having  entered  tfpon  the   discharge  of  his  duties   as  such,   shall 

3  wilfully  fail,   neglect,  or  refuse  to  make  the  inspections  and 


9 

4  reports  thereof,  or  any  one  of  either,  as  required  by  this  act,  or 

5  shall  through  any  fear,  favor,  or  affection,  or  for  any  reward,  or 

6  the  promise  or  hope  thereof,  fail,  neglect,  or  refuse  to  make  true 

7  and  faithful  reports   of  acts  of  malfeasance,  defaults,  embezzle- 

8  ments,  or  other  improper  acts  in  oflSce,  by  any  such  quartermas- 
-ter  or  commissary,  whose  affairs  it  shall  become    his  duty  to 

to  inspect,    as  provided   by  this   act,  or   if  any   such    inspector,  ot 

!  I  assistant  inspector,  shall,  through   any  ill-will,  prejudice,  or  for 

li  any  other  cause,  wilfully  make   any  false   report  as   to  any  such 

13  matters,  he  sliall,  upon  conviction  thereof,  by  a  court  martial,  be 

14  cashiered,  or  suffer  such   other   punishment  as  may  be  adjudged 
16  by  the  court  trying  the  case. 

1  Sec.  12.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  Secretary  of  War  to  cause 

2  the  inspections,  and  the    reports   thereof,   required  by  this  act, 
^  to  be  promptly  made,  according  to  form,  as  he  may  prescribe. 


AMENDMENT. 
Amend  the  first  section  by  adding  at  the  end  the  following : 
t  The  chief  inspectors,  their  assistant  and  clerks,  to  be  appointed 

2  under  this  act.  shall  be  appointed  from  disabled  soldiers  or  officers 

3  or  persons  not  liible  to  military  service,   if  practicable  to  obtain 
■i     them. 


